Chive Cashew Pesto

This pesto has a really nice mellow flavor. The cashews give it a creamy texture and the chives give it a slight spiciness.

I love it on toast with sprouts for breakfast. It is great on sandwiches, on pizza, as a dip for raw veggies or French bread, crostini and crackers.

I made this pesto to take to beach because our friends Beto, Jill and Paloma were coming for the day. I know it’s a winner if I get a taste test approval from Paloma and she loved it! It’s cute how she uses a cracker for a delivery system by eating the pesto alone and not the cracker.

We had this pesto with a white Rioja, but it goes well with most white wines.

Recipe – Approx. 2 1/2 Cups

1 Cups Chives

3/4 Cups Cashews

1/2 Cup Aged Asiago Cheese

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Instructions:

Cut chives into 1 inch pieces and finely shred the cheese.

Measure all ingredients and put into a food processor or blender and blend well.

Make sure to scrape down the sides at least once.

Health Benefits:

Chives contain flavonoid anti-oxidants, plant fiber, minerals, and vitamins. It is one of the richest sources of vitamin K, rich in vitamin C and is really high in vitamin A. It reduces cholesterol production in the liver and helps decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. It also helps maintaining bone mineral density.

Cashews are extremely concentrated in essential minerals like phosphorus, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, selenium and zinc. They contain essential fatty acids that help lower harmful LDL-cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol. They are also a good source of antioxidants.